1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to variable processing of software applications. More particularly, the invention relates to creating file structures and resource processing with common variables.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data languages are becoming a more pervasive way to program. Data languages include markup languages, such as those based on XML, including HTML, TRIGML (owned by QUALCOMM Incorporated). Data driving languages are extensively used in programming web-based applications but are not limited thereto. Examples of XML based languages also include billing and transaction processing applications.
Difficulties rise in a couple of instances when using data languages. For example, in developing a user interface (UI), it is desireable to have the availability to multiple languages for an application depending on the language desired by the application running on the device. For example, a wireless device used in France may want to access the term “bonjour” whereas a wireless device used in the United Kingdom may want to access the term “Hello” for the same purposes.
In addition to text, however, there may be other resource types that the application would like to vary based on the culture, language, or other variable. For example, the application may wish to display the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop if the language is selected as French, yet may wish to display Buckingham Palace for English. Similary, more risque pictures may be desired for those languages/cultures that the application developer believes are more appropriate versus more reserved images for those languages/cultures the application developer believes is more reserved.
Current methods use to address this problem is the use of language packs. Microsoft Word, for example, can install a language pack. This language pack merely changes a pointer value for a defined term. For example, a French language pack installed would substitute the menu option for “edit” the corresponding French word, such as “editer.” Multiple language packs may be installed, but they become hard to manage as the number of language dependent resources gets large. Further, there is no solution to managing resources based on other variants.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is a method, apparatus and system for that allow the managing the language variants for multiple types of resources. Further, what is need is a method, apparatus and system for providing variants for multiple resource types and managing resources using multiple variants.